


Stolen Dance

by jordan11240



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, High School, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-30
Updated: 2015-06-10
Packaged: 2018-04-01 22:29:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 3,809
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4036864
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jordan11240/pseuds/jordan11240
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Eren Jaeger is 17 years old. Levi Ackerman is 19. Though Levi is only two years his senior, it seems to Eren as if he has lived a lifetime longer than him. <br/>Losing Petra has torn Levi apart. Eren feels as if leaving him alone is the worst thing he can possibly do.<br/>Mikasa is bitter with resentment for her troubled cousin and wants nothing more than for Eren to stay as far away from him as possible. <br/>Eren has no intention of falling in love. Even when he does, he has no way of knowing that doing so will lead him on the biggest journey of his life. <br/>Can Mikasa accept that Eren has fallen in love with someone she believes to be so toxic?<br/>Can Levi learn to love again, even after suffering such immense loss?<br/>Can Eren endure the turmoil his falling in love has caused?<br/>The stakes are high. Relationships hang in the balance. A complicated web has been woven. <br/>Can love untangle it?<br/>Stolen Dance - an ereri fic</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Introduction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stolen Dance - Milky Chance

The evening was growing tired. The colors of the sky melted together, exhausted blues, purples, and yellows falling into one another. The cheery day-time songs of the birds changed to lullabies, lulling the sun to sleep as it sank slowly beneath its blanket of warm earth. I, however, could not think about these things.  
My eyes were tired, my mind numb. My limbs felt weighted to the cool grass beneath me. My body was heavy, the entire sky draped over it carelessly. I could feel everything and nothing all at once.  
A tiny itch made itself known, buried somewhere in my pile of chocolate brown hair. I could not scratch it, for each finger of my right hand was bound to the earth beneath it, while my left hand was otherwise occupied.  
In my left hand I held the world. The world was cold and broken. The world was beautiful and mysterious. The world was young, yet had seen so much. The world was strong, yet so fragile. I did not understand it, but I loved it. God I loved it.  
I loved its gray eyes and its black hair. I loved its pale skin. I loved its hands. I loved its lips. I loved each of its fingers. I loved its nose and its forehead. I loved its cheeks and its chin.  
I loved the world when it was sad and scared.  
I loved the world when it was lost.  
I loved the world when it was content and at ease.  
I loved the world when it let go.  
I loved its memories.  
I loved its scars.  
The world had seen so many faces. It had passed from hand to hand countless times. It had been dropped and broken, kicked and beaten. And I loved it.  
The world was Levi.  
My world.


	2. Fever

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fever - The Black Keys

“Unbelievable,” he muttered under his voice. I was standing outside his door, my clothes soaked, a puddle of water forming where I stood on his porch. I felt like an idiot standing there soaking wet, looking vaguely apologetic but mostly cocky as hell. It wasn’t the first time I’d shown up at his door in a sorry sort of state, believe it or not. “Wait there; don’t you dare step foot inside until I get back.” The moment he turned I made an exaggerated motion towards the door. He whipped around, shooting me a glare. I laughed, throwing my hands up in defense and stepping back. He shook his head, turning around and walking into the house, returning moments later with an armful of towels.  
I peeled off my soaked jacket then removed my shoes and socks, tossing everything in a pile beside the door. He handed me a towel which I immediately wrapped around myself, soaking up some of the water in my t-shirt before moving onto my jeans.  
“Care to explain?” he asked, tossing me another towel, as the original was thoroughly soaked.  
“No,” I replied, matter-of-factly, grinning in his direction.  
Moments later we were sitting across from each other at his kitchen table. He was leaning back in his chair, staring at me expectantly. I was sitting there, towel wrapped around my shoulders, looking like a child about to receive a scolding. “What the hell happened this time?”  
“My car broke down,” I stated, meeting his gaze with wide eyes. He almost laughed.  
“I think you’re just making excuses to show up at my door and cause me trouble. Do you want a cup of tea?” I didn’t answer, but he got up anyway. The truth was, I actually was just making up an excuse to show up at his door.  
Levi absolutely intrigued me. I wouldn’t quite call my interest in him infatuation, but it certainly resembled it at times. Maybe the reason behind my curiosity was his relationship with Mikasa. The two were cousins, and Mikasa just about hated his guts. Maybe it was jealousy. I’m pretty sure Mikasa was obsessed with me. I loved her like a sister, but she got a bit overbearing at times. We’d been through a lot. It’s a long story.  
Levi returned with a cup of tea for each of us. He set mine in front of me and took his seat once more. “Now,” he started, “why are you here?”  
I hesitated. “I wanted to check on you,” I muttered, making eye contact. Levi narrowed his eyes at me. He was only two years older than me, at nineteen, but he seemed so much older. I felt like I was staring at someone who’d lived for two hundred years rather than just short of twenty. Not that he looked old, because he didn’t. He looked nineteen. But whenever I talked to him I got this sense that he knew so much. Like he’d been through a war or something. I don’t really know how to explain it.  
“I feel like I’m sick. Like I’ve got this fever that just won’t go away. I’m burning up, Eren.” He drew his eyes away and stared into his teacup.  
“What do you mean?” I asked.  
“I know your car didn’t break down,” he continued. He refused to meet my gaze. “She’s everywhere. I’m falling apart.” I knew what he was talking about.  
Levi had lost Petra two months ago. He’d been distant since then. He’d stopped taking early morning runs, or sitting on his porch scribbling furiously in a notebook on warm evenings. It was as if he’d buried parts of himself alongside her.  
The real reason I’d walked sixteen blocks to his house in the pouring rain and showed up at his doorstep was because I wanted to be with him. Not with him as in a relationship, but just with him. As if leaving him alone was the worst thing I could possibly be doing on a miserable Sunday. I didn’t even have a car.  
Mikasa would probably be pretty pissed off if she knew I was here.  
“I could’ve picked you up if you wanted to come over. You didn’t have to walk here in the rain like an idiot,” he remarked curtly, attempting to dissolve the weight of the moment. I shook my head.  
“I told you already. My car broke down,” I replied.  
“I know you don’t have a car, Jaeger.” He raised an eyebrow at me. I laughed.  
“Fine,” I threw my hands up, “You got me. I actually wanted to spend time with you.”  
He smiled sadly. “It’s been a while. I forgot that was possible.”


	3. Geronimo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Geronimo - Sheppard

The sun was shining with newfound vigor, reminding us that summer was on its way. Sparkling light danced on the surface of the lake, catching every miniscule movement of the water, making it look like a sea of diamonds. We’d taken up residence on the tiny beach for the first outing of the season: it was one of our favorite places to spend summer afternoons.  
There were seven of us in total. Armin had spread a towel over the sand in the shade and was reading contently, the breeze toying with his pale blonde hair. Mikasa sat beside me at the lake’s edge, both of our shoes off, toes in the icy water. Jean and Marco had laid out a large blanket in the sun and were lounging, Marco’s head resting lazily on Jean’s torso. Sasha and Connie splashed around in the water a not-so-safe distance from Mikasa and I, occasionally sending daggers of icy water our way.   
Mikasa and I sat in silence, looking out over the water. I knew she was going to say something when she fidgeted, tugging at the edge of her white cotton dress. I turned my head toward her, but she refused to meet my gaze. Something was bothering her. I knew what it was before she spoke.  
“You went to Levi’s yesterday, didn’t you?” she asked, turning her head to look back out over the lake, avoiding my eyes. I pushed out a breath.  
“Why do you ask?” I countered, leaning back on my hands.   
“I already told you Eren. He’s toxic. Don’t get mixed up with him.”  
It was moments like these when I became frustrated with Mikasa. She acted as if she had total authority over what I did, without even considering how I might feel. She knew I loved her, but she tended to think that our relationship was the only one I was allowed to be involved in. She even did it with Armin sometimes. I could just feel her trying to pull me away, even if she didn’t know she was doing it.  
“What do you even know about him, Mikasa? Sure, he’s your cousin, but have you ever spent any real time just talking to him?” I tried to relax, feeling the warm sun on my face.  
Mikasa looked sad. Just sad. I don’t even know why. It was kind of dumb, to tell you the truth. She was always looking sad, as if I should beg for her forgiveness. “He’s 19 and he lives alone. I know he drinks and smokes, I saw him just yester--”  
“You realize Petra died, right? Like, did you notice? Mikasa, they were together for four years. Four years! And it all happened so fast. Honestly, if I were him, I would probably drink and smoke too. Or I’d kill myself.”  
“Don’t say shit like that Eren,” she remarked coldly, lowering her gaze to her lap. I nearly threw my hands up in frustration, and I probably would’ve argued with her longer if in that moment we hadn’t been hit with a wave of freezing water.   
We both looked up quickly, searching for the attacker. Sasha and Connie were giggling. Knee deep in the water just beside them was Jean, looking incredibly pleased with himself.  
“Would you two quit bickering for two seconds and enjoy yourselves?” Jean laughed. I turned around to look at Marco, who just shrugged.   
“You’re coming down with me, Kirschtein,” I said, standing up. Jean looked momentarily confused, giving me time to run towards him and tackle him. We both lost our balance quickly, instantly becoming drenched in the icy water. Above us, Sasha was cackling. Jean had only seconds to look pissed off before Armin was barreling towards the water, beaming. I smiled so widely I felt like my face would split.   
“Geronimo!” Armin cried, leaping into the water. I swum out a little ways to join him, gesturing for Jean to meet us. Marco had stood and was making his way over. He waded tentatively into the water at first, but Connie and Sasha pulled him in, until we were all up to our shoulders in the freezing lake, fully clothed. Mikasa stood on the beach at the water’s edge, watching us all, laughing.   
A picture perfect afternoon.


	4. Fall in Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fall in Love - Phantogram

We retired to Armin’s house just up the hill from the lake, as the sun began to set. We were a sight to see, the seven of us piling in through the garage to the washroom, peeling out of our clothing and tossing it into the washing machine. Our hair was a mess and we reeked of lake water, with the exception of Mikasa, who was busy passing out towels. Sasha wrapped a towel around herself while the rest of us dried off, trickling into the living room in our boxers as Mikasa and Armin started the wash.   
“Who’s first shower?” Armin asked, following Mikasa out of the washroom, gradually drying his hair with a fluffy white towel. Jean and I both hopped up immediately.   
“Looks like we’ll have to fight for it Jaeger. Everyone place your bets,” Jean laughed, stepping towards me. I looked skeptical for a moment before Armin intervened.   
“There’s no need. Eren, you can use my shower. Jean, take the guest bathroom,” Armin stated plainly. Thank god for that kid.

I turned the water on as hot as it would go, watching steam roll off the walls. The temperature of the lake lingered below my skin, the heat of the water coaxing it out gradually. I washed my hair and body, ridding them of the stench and grime of our swim. I let the scalding liquid run across my scalp and thought about the night before. I thought about the way Levi looked when he’d answered the door and the way I’d probably looked, standing there, soaked. I thought about sitting across from him at his kitchen table, thinking about how tired he looked, listening to him talk.   
We’d talked for hours that night. He told me everything. Everything he was feeling, everything he’d been doing since the accident. And I just sat there and listened. His persona began to melt away, gradually at first, then quickly, as if he was trying to free himself of it with every word he spoke. I watched as his edges blurred, as his armored walls melted to puddles. And I watched him looking sad and broken and fragile and not at all like Levi Ackerman, at least the one everyone knew. The one I’d known for two years. Then it hit me.  
I turned the shower off, shocked by the sudden loss of heat. It felt as if all the cold air in the house was sucked into the tiny space surrounding me. My heart was racing. I pushed my hand flat against the dripping wall, breathing deeply. Thoughts crowded my mind and vision, all of them centered around one thing.   
Levi.  
I threw the curtain aside, grabbing my towel and wrapping it around me. I realized I didn’t have clothes and immediately felt humiliated, like the world was going to end and I couldn’t fucking think straight. There was a soft knock on the door.  
“Eren? I’m leaving your clothes here.” It was Mikasa.   
“Okay,” I choked, attempting to sound normal but failing miserably. I hoped she wouldn’t notice. I was sure she did. To my relief, after a moment, I heard her walk away, out of Armin’s room. I sighed with relief, opening the door slightly and picking up my clothes. They were clean and smelled of fabric softener, still warm from the dryer. I finished drying off before pulling them on, focusing on each leg of my navy sweats and then each arm of my soft grey t-shirt. Once I was dressed I dried my hair, combing it down with my fingers.   
I drew my eyes up to look at myself in the mirror. My heart was still racing and, though I was faced with my own reflection, all my thoughts saw was him. His blurred edges. His dark clothing. His grief. It consumed me.   
My head spun. I drew in a breath, looking down and turning towards the door. I twisted the handle and stepped out into the dim, warm light of Armin’s room. I thought for a moment that maybe I was going crazy. Hell, I even sort of hoped I was going crazy. But I knew I wasn’t. It was something else.   
When I made it back to the living room Sasha threw her hands up in exasperated relief. “Finally! It took you long enough!” she exclaimed, gathering her towel tighter around her and darting towards Armin’s room. Marco and Jean had already finished and Connie was absent, meaning he was using the guest shower. Armin had probably used his parent’s shower, as he was clad in fresh clothing, his hair still damp. I probably looked panicked because all four of them, Mikasa, Armin, Jean, and Marco, were giving me an array of concerned looks.   
“Are you alright, Eren? You took, like, 45 minutes,” Armin asked, visibly worried. Mikasa looked distressed. I still couldn’t think straight.  
“Yeah, I’m fine,” I stammered. Goddammit. “I just need some air.” I left through the front door, stepping into the cool evening, pulling it closed behind me.   
It was a cloudy night, the only light shining from the windows of the house behind me. There were woods on all sides of the spacious yard, not another home in sight. The inky silence was interrupted only by my roaring thoughts.   
They were all of him.  
I could see him, pale skin and raven hair. I could feel him, warm air and cool breath. I could smell him, cologne and cigarette smoke and black coffee. I could hear him, heavy voice and shallow sighs.   
And then nothing.   
The only thing I could comprehend, as I stood there, surrounded by nightfall, was that I had fallen in love.


	5. Out Of My League

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Out Of My League - Fitz and The Tantrums

Naturally, the second I woke up the next day, Levi was on my mind. Is that what happens when you fall in love with someone? Every second you’re awake, you just think about them? I don’t know. I’ve never been in love before.  
As pale gray light began to seep in through my windows I started thinking about everything that could go wrong. I sat up straight in bed and pulled my knees to my chest and just thought. The first thing I really considered was that there was no way he could reciprocate my feelings. He’d been in love with Petra: there was no doubt in anyones mind. Losing her had changed him so drastically. After loving someone that much, could you ever fall in love with anyone else? What if I embarrassed myself? I thought about ignoring him. At least that way I would avoid any possibility of him finding out how I felt. But I couldn’t leave him alone, not now, not after all that had happened to him. God, I cared about him.   
I just sat there in my bed, a million possibilities running through my mind. The only conclusion that I came to was that I cared about him a hell of a lot. So I began to consider why I’d fallen in love. Like it was something I could calculate, as if there were factors I could take into consideration when formulating a reason for my feelings. Was it because he’d opened up to me that night? No, it had to be before that. There was a reason I’d shown up in the first place. But what was it, besides the fact that I didn’t want to leave him alone? Was worrying about and caring for someone the same as loving them? I rubbed my temples, feeling a headache hatching at the back of my brain. If I sat there any longer I might explode.   
Pulling myself out of bed completely I rummaged through the covers for my phone. There were two missed calls and a voicemail from Mikasa. I’d left Armin’s late the night before, barely even saying goodbye. It was a miracle I’d survived the drive home. It was sort of an asshole move on my part; they’d probably worried about me. I opened the voicemail.  
“Hey, Eren, are you ok? You seemed pretty shaken. I hope you made it home alright.” Mikasa’s voice was quavering with nervousness. “I don’t know what happened, but if there’s anything you want to talk about, just call me. All of us are worried about you. Hope to hear from you soon. Love you.” I felt kind of sad after listening to it. I shouldn’t have left like I did. But thinking about the night before triggered more thoughts of the sensation I’d experienced. Which in turn made me think of Levi again and poof, I was right back to where I’d started.   
I figured I should call Mikasa. A glance at the clock beside my bed told me that it probably wasn’t the best time to make any phone calls: it was just barely six in the morning. Part of me was grateful. I didn’t really feel like talking to anyone. On the other hand I sort of dreaded being alone with my thoughts again. Neither of my parents would be awake yet to make morning small talk.  
My stomach growled, deciding my next move for me. Taking my phone with me I opened the door to my room and padded quietly down the stairs into the kitchen. Gray light was streaming in through the little window above the sink that faced the sun. The sky was wrapped in a thin blanket of cloud and the air outside hung misty over wet ground. It had rained last night.   
I turned on the coffee maker. The pot began to fill, agonizingly slowly. It always annoyed me how long it took to make a pot of coffee. In the meantime I went about making breakfast for myself. I made an egg over easy and a piece of toast as slowly as I could, waiting for the damn coffee to be done. It was by the time I finished. I poured the bitter liquid into a pink, sun-stained mug and added sugar, deciding not to bother with milk. I sat down at the kitchen table.   
Just as I was about to take a sip of coffee my phone began to buzz. For some reason I jumped up to get it, as if my life depended on it. When I looked at the caller I.D. my heart nearly stopped.  
Why the hell was Levi Ackerman calling me at six thirty in the morning?  
After wasting a few seconds panicking I decided to actually answer. I slid the button across the screen and held the phone to my ear. “H-hello?” I stammered. Smooth.  
“Eren? I know it’s early. Sorry about that. Listen, I was wondering if you wanted to go for breakfast. I’m sorry I didn’t call you yesterday I was just... shaken. I’ve been thinking about the other night non-stop. I feel like I overwhelmed you.” His voice was dripping with sleep, as if he’d just woken up or, perhaps, not slept at all.  
“It’s fine. Breakfast today?” I asked, trying not to sound like I was freaking out, which I was.  
“Will your parents be ok with that? Micky’s opens at seven.” He paused. “It’s on me. I just feel like I need to apologize and follow up after that...conversation we had.”  
“Why would you need to apologize?” I inquired, my eyebrows furrowing.  
He paused. I heard him take a breath before speaking again. “I don’t really know. I’ve just never said all of that to anyone before and I… I don’t know Eren. I just want to talk to you. Like have an actual conversation about everything, where I don’t turn into a complete wreck.”  
My heart was threatening to leap from my chest. “Yeah, ok. I guess I’ll see you at Micky’s at seven.”   
“Ok. See you then.” And with that, he hung up.   
I took that moment, standing in my kitchen, to think about Levi some more. Then, as my heart continued to pound, I thought the dumbest thing I could possibly ever think. And that was that Levi Ackerman was completely out of my league.


End file.
